Lindsey Graham: so we're a day ready to proceed. with that i yield such time as the senator from south carolina might consume. the presiding officer: without objection, the request is agreed to. mr. graham: i like to thank the -- the presiding officer: the senator from south carolina. mr. graham: i like to thank the committee chairman and recognize the work the committee did.

Lindsey Graham: i thought the hearings were important for the country. they were well done. they were timely held. and any concerns about conflict of interest -- there will be a process in the future if that happens to be a concern, to go through the committee. i have a lot of confidence in th committee to provide oversight. having said that i have a lot of confidence in senator clinton to

Lindsey Graham: be a good secretary of state. we've got a new president. we had a tough campaign. the campaign is over but the wars are not. the challenges facing the country are enormous domestically and internationally. i think this new president deserves to have his team in place and i could not think of a better choice for secretary of state and he had many to choose from.

Lindsey Graham: so he has made his choice. the committee has acted. i do hope the senate can act expeditiously after lunch. everyone deserves to have their say. i respect that chairman preserving the ability of the senator to have their say. i intend to vote for senator clinton. i have had the pleasure of serving with her, traveling throughout the world.

Lindsey Graham: i foe she understands the world -- i know she understands the world. people understand her. when she -- there's no place in the world that she cannot go that people do not have, i think, a very favorable impression of her. she will help execute a foreign policy that's going to be difficult. i want it to be bipartisan where it can. and if we can get this done today it will be good for the

Lindsey Graham: country. she will do an ostanding job. and i have a lot of confidence in the committee to make sure that any potential conflicts of interest are fairly dealt with. with that, i hope this afternoon we can do it by voice vote. but let's just get it done. this country needs a secretary of state right now, this minute, engaging the world because we

Lindsey Graham: have young men and women throughout the world in harm's way and they need an advocate on the world stage. there's no better advocate that i can think of than senator hillary clint she will do an outstanding job.